This invention concerns extenders for the bed of pick-up trucks of the type including a rear panel hinged to the top of a pick-up tail gate, and a pair of side panels each hinged to an opposite side of the rear panel. When the tail gate is lowered, the rear panel is raised up and side panels swung out to close the gap on either side, providing a longer cargo space.
Such extenders have been described in a number of prior U.S. patents, from U.S. Pat. No. 2,872,239 to U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,410.
Such extenders have been designed as after market devices, with the rear panel hinge screwed or bolted to the tailgate.
Such an installation creates an unfinished utilitarian appearance, requires some effort to install, and the screw fasteners penetrating the body sheet metal lessens resistance to rust out. Some OEM's void the rust out warranty if such fasteners are used.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a cargo bed extender of the type described which is easier to install and presents an integrated more finished appearance, and does not compromise the rust resistance of the body sheet metal.